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I got a "tens" unit from a chiropractor friend. I wanted to stimulate my calf muscles to improve circulation in my foot where I have two unhealed wounds.
At ~60% power, it would seriously trigger my arm muscles but it had NO effect on legs at 100% Similar units sell for less than $50.
I posted here somewhere and spinal nurse replied that these types of stimulators will not cause contractions if you have a spinal injury, that somehow the nerves, despite being secondary nerves and not spinal, die.
The stimulators that were possibilities were many hundred dollars.

I got a "tens" unit from a chiropractor friend. I wanted to stimulate my calf muscles to improve circulation in my foot where I have two unhealed wounds.
At ~60% power, it would seriously trigger my arm muscles but it had NO effect on legs at 100% Similar units sell for less than $50.
I posted here somewhere and spinal nurse replied that these types of stimulators will not cause contractions if you have a spinal injury, that somehow the nerves, despite being secondary nerves and not spinal, die.
The stimulators that were possibilities were many hundred dollars.

With a T12 injury, you likely have some lower motor neuron damage. Such damage prevents electrical stimulation with "traditional" parameters from activating the affected muscles properly. Most people with injuries above T12 will be able to get muscle contractions in the legs with a regular TENS unit. For those with lower motor neuron injury, wide pulse stimulation is used, but stimulators with wider pulse widths are expensive and few.

Co-founder & CTO of MYOLYN - FES Technology for People with Paralysis - Empowering People to Move

Everyone with a SCI has both UMN (upper motor neuron) and LMN (lower motor neuron) injury. This is a poor term to use so broadly. When using the terms, you must include which target muscle or organ you are referring to. For example, someone can have a UMN or LMN bladder, or a UMN or LMN gastroc. You have to be specific.

(KLD)

Last edited by SCI-Nurse; 06-07-2018 at 08:27 PM.

The SCI-Nurses are advanced practice nurses specializing in SCI/D care. They are available to answer questions, provide education, and make suggestions which you should always discuss with your physician/primary health care provider before implementing. Medical diagnosis is not provided, nor do the SCI-Nurses provide nursing or medical care through their responses on the CareCure forums.

Everyone with a SCI has both UMN (upper motor neuron) and LMN (LMN) injury. This is a poor term to use so broadly. When using the terms, you must include which target muscle or organ you are referring to. For example, someone can have a UMN or LMN bladder, or a UMN or LMN gastroc. You have to be specific.

(KLD)

Sorry, you're right, I should have been more specific. As I understand it, injuries to T12 and lower are likely to be accompanied by denervation of major muscle groups in the legs, and it depends on the nature of the injury.

Co-founder & CTO of MYOLYN - FES Technology for People with Paralysis - Empowering People to Move